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Sunday, 24 January 2016

Moon Knight, Volume 3: In the Night Review (Cullen Bunn, Ron Ackins)

The latest Moon Knight run comes to an end as yet another new creative team takes over - this time it’s Cullen Bunn writing and Ron Ackins, Steven Sanders, and German Peralta drawing.

The first couple chapters are standalone short stories. Marc Spector/Moon Knight fights some evil ghostbusters who’re turning spirits into expensive novelty gifts, before taking down a bitter dude who’s training large dogs to attack the wealthy for being wealthy. It’s nothing very memorable. The last three issues follow Marc’s realisation that Khonshu, the Egyptian god of the moon that gave him his powers, has more crazy minions out there besides him doing even nuttier things - or does he? The way Marc dispatches “Khonshu’s” bogeyman is unimaginative (big guns - c’mon, he’s not the Punisher!) but seeing him take on deluded jet pack goons who think they’re angels with his Moon glider was AWESOME!

Fair play to Bunn who does his best to keep readers aware of the title’s unique qualities - the supernatural theme mixed with mental illness - even if the material isn’t as fresh or exciting as the high standards set by Warren Ellis and Brian Wood in the previous two volumes. Similar comparisons could be said about Ackins/Sanders/Peralta’s pencils which are great but aren’t as impressive as Declan Shalvey and Greg Smallwood’s work.

In the Night is a decent finale to this excellent latest Moon Knight run but it’s definitely the weakest book of the three - Marc going out quietly than with a bang. Oh well. Jeff Lemire joins returning artists Greg Smallwood and Jordie Bellaire for the new Moon Knight relaunch later this year. Until then, see ya Marc, you lunatic!